Brewers Association: U.S. Brewery Count Grows to 2,722

The Brewers Association (BA) today announced that, by the end of 2013, the number of U.S. breweries reached its highest level since the early 1870s.

The BA counted 2,722 brewing facilities in the U.S. last year, and increase of more than 400 versus 2012.

Bart Watson, the organization’s staff economist, wrote on the BA blog that, 98 percent of those breweries were small and independent operations (companies who meet the BA’s definition of a craft brewer).

By market segment, Watson provided a snapshot of the landscape:

24 large breweries (annual production over 6 million barrels)

120 regional breweries (annual production between 15,000 and 6 million barrels)

1,202 brewpubs (restaurant-brewery that sells 25% or more of its beer on site)

1,376 microbreweries (annual production less than 15,000 barrels)

A more detailed recording of U.S. brewing facility numbers will be presented at the Craft Brewers Conference in April, Watson wrote. In the meantime, head over to the Brewers Association blog for more statistics.